World Cup 2010

[Kongster]

Alonso could have made it 1-1 with a cracking shot that hit the bar. But it wasn't to be for Spain.

[merf]

hooray, its the old bottle it and blow it Spain back, they got replaced by a team that won at the last Euros but good to see the old stereotype back.

[Number45]

\o/

There is much lolling in the office.

[nakamura]

At least the WC has shown an improvement. Not perhaps a cracker today but certainly tense and exciting.

[saturn-gamer]

Villa and Torres shouldn't be paired. I hope for them that Del Bosque finally realizes it. Torres is **** with the quick passing game Spain fancies, PL made him a messy player :P

Anyway, great effort by Switzerland. Some swiss timing on the 5 minutes of extra time though.

[Number45]

Villa and Torres were fine together in the Euros from what I recall?

[saturn-gamer]

Villa and Torres were fine together in the Euros from what I recall?

More people have said that, but I would disagree. From what I saw, looking past the numbers, Torres was awful during that tourney. He did decide the final though, in which Villa didn't play.

Would've made more sense if the coach brought Llorente today methinks. He's the kind of pinch hitter.

[Adrock]

PL made him score goals

The same Torres that scored the goals in the Euros that helped his side win the Euro Champs. He has only just come back from injury and had 20 minutes to score. He didn't look like he got into the game at all.

I dont think Spain bottled it today. It was just one of those days where nothing would go in for them. This wont happen in the next game.

[Flabio]

This wont happen in the next game.

But it'd be bloody hilarious if it did (sorry).

[merf]

nicked from F365 letters page today but it makes a gret point about the myth of starting slowly :-

Firstly Italian 90. Winners West Germany - They started with a 4-1 win over Yugoslavia (who made it to the quarters) and then thumped UAE 5-1. Not really a slow start that.

USA 94 - Winners Brazil - Opened with a 2-0 victory over Russia and then thrashed the at that time highly rated Cameroon 3-0.

France 98 - Winners France - Won all 3 of their group games with an aggregate score of 9-1. Alright South Afrcia and Saudi Arabia aren't the greatest of competition but Denmark were no mugs.

Japorea 02 - Winners Brazil - Won all 3 group games with an aggregated score of 11-3. Very slow start that. Eventual golden boot winner Ronaldo had 4 by the end of the group stage.

Germany 06 - Winners Italy. And here the myth gets very bizarre because apparently Italy started slowly. Really? Winning 2-0 over both Ghana and the Czech Republic doesn't seem like a slow start to me. Okay drawing 1-1 with USA wasn't great but that was one of those weird games where they had 2 men sent off.

[prinnysquad]

Goddammit more mythbusting facts!

I reckon the Golden Boot winner at this WC will have 4 goals.

[vanpeebles]

I thought its called the golden fag slipper now?

[Number45]

South Africa v Uruguay later then. Dull with extra Vuvuzela anyone? >_<

[Kongster]

The Italians started off slowly in '82 with 3 draws in the group stages. It was enough to get them though and they went on to win the Tournament.

It's also worth pointing out that they started off slowly in USA '94, losing their opener against Ireland, before they reached the Final where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

[ShadowDancer]

It was mentioned on the radio...The BBC have had an outstanding number of complaints about the 'hornets' their tech team have done the research to find the frequency and they are doing or are going to do something about it..